By My Rules
Inspired by a film I watched a while ago
February
Mercy was a bit of a cynic where love was concerned, it was overrated, way too overrated, the only love she actually gave any kudos to nowadays was her best friends Santana and Brittany. She didn't have a description of what love was and had never seen anything she thought might constitute it until she witnessed them felling in love and their beautiful relationship played out in front of her face.
Jones Joy Book Shop was her pride and joy, she'd loved reading in school and went through college and University with great ease on all thing English Literature. Her Grandmother had owed the book store all her life, it was a place were she'd grown up, dreamed, cried and fell in love with the written language
It was that time of the year again and Rachel, her friend in New York, had sent her another one hundred donated books. Rachel had written a book supposedly helping people to count down the fourteen days before Valentine's Day 'How to prepare for the perfect Valentine's Day' she'd pray every year the damn things came while Santana and Brittany were out the shop but it was like Rachel called before hand and they were expecting it
"Come on Mercy, we need to make this year extra special I can feel something exciting is about to happen" Brittany giggled "You might find love"
"Trust me I won't" Mercy laughed rolling her eyes as he spoke
"I already ordered the flowers, we'll dress the table and everything" Santana added like that was really supposed to enthuse her
"You guys do what you need to do" she quickly gave in telling them, unsure why she was wasting so much of her energy on arguing about the subject, the books were here already, watching as they went into action setting the table up all fancy and full of what they termed love
The countdown started and every day someone came in with hopes of finding the answer in one of Rachel's books, she smiled each time thinking how gullible people actually were believing that there was some pebbles of truth in such crap, she wanted to shout at each customer 'Love doesn't happen for everyone' but she resisted, to keep her friends happy.
One day left and she'd actually joined in helping set things up, Santana and Brittany set about placing every heart shaped chocolate wrapped in red foil strategically to entice customers while she threw bundles of roses into the brass vases dotted around the books
"Mercy please" Brittany shouted after rearranging the third bucket of roses after her so called help "I'm doing double the work just bring them in and I'll dress the table" she snapped at her
"No need for attitude" she squinted her eyes at her saying
"There is when you're doing a crap job on purpose" she half smiled "Flowers please" she gave her puppy eyes begging
"Only because you're my friend" Mercy turned to get the flowers from the delivery dripping fresh outside the shop door , thinking maybe she should cool it down a bit, all this would be over tomorrow.
The following day and she had a spring in her step, all this was going to be over by midday and she could have her shop back and her friends would be focused on selling some of her wares for a change. She opened the shop door to see the usual activity, carrying a bundle of roses with her as she walked in
"Where can I put these?" she looked at Santana asking
"It's a spare bundle, we'll have more flowers than book if we put those on" She replied "I guess you have your first valentine's present"
"Hi" they heard a male voice enter their space all three turning to see who it was
"Hi" Santana replied looking at Mercy, her eyes bulging for this handsome man that had just walked in the door
"I was looking for some flowers, late I know but I've been busy buying the shop down the block and round the corner, I just realised it's valentine's day and well I need something anything" he looked around the shop asking "Sorry I saw the flowers outside and I thought it was a flower shop" he added on seeing books
"These past 14 days I'd have thought it was too" Mercy laughed at him "We don't generally sell flowers"
"Do you know of anywhere I mean..., the sale just went through on my shop and I wanted to celebrate with my girlfriend..."
"I don't know if the station up the road might be able to help" Brittany told him
"Or at cost price you could have these" Mercy smiled at him "You seem like a desperate man"
"I am believe me, I missed her birthday a few months back, I need everything"
"Cost price and I'll throw these in" Mercy added picking up a heart shaped box of chocolates, left over from the bulk buy for the promotion "And you can have one of these for next year" she picked up one of Rachel's books as she walked towards him
"All for the price of a bunch of flowers?" he asked for confirmation
"One price going today" she stopped in front of him saying
"So why did you forget her birthday, that's a deal breaker for me?" Santana asked as the others looked at her sharp for being so nosy
"We sort of fell into this relationship, she's not really around that much, travels all over the place, and most the time when we finally do meet up it's really about the non-verbal part of a relationship, if you know what I mean"
"So you just have sex with her?" Santana pushed it further
"Basically, but she says she's my girlfriend"
"And what do you say?" Santana asked to more looks from the girls as Mercy turned to look at her again her lips thin with shut the fuck up
"Sorry about my friend as you can see she's inquisitive" Mercy's head swung back round to face the man as she spoke, she knew what was in Santana's mind asking all those questions, she shouldn't have risen to it but she actually joined in "You should get the landlord to let you in if she's not there, and leave the treats and flowers in her flat, now that's romantic, she'll fall in love all over again" she smiled up at him as Santana and Brittany stood looking at each other wondering what the hell she was up to.
"Thanks, I might do that" he put some money in her hand as he took the items off her and left the shop
"Good luck" she smiled, which turned into a giggle when he left
"What the hell was that about?" Santana asked
"I felt sorry for him he needed to be put out of his misery" Mercy replied
"I'm not talking about the damn flowers, why did you tell him that girl of his was into him, it's clear she's not"
"As I said to put him out of his damn misery, there is no such thing as everlasting love, except for you guys" she smiled at them saying "It's valentine's I'm sharing" she threw her hands up telling them before going off to the back of the shop for no particular reason
They managed to give away one book that morning before Mercy got her bicycle, put the basket on it and went around giving a copy to anyone that would have it, on the evening they got together with some of the girls from the book club she held every Wednesday, and went out to celebrate not being bothered about Valentine's day.
April
It was a typical afternoon, the sun was blazing, everyone was out in as few clothes as possible basking when suddenly the heavens opened up and started spitting literally buckets of warm water at a time. Mercy was caught in the torrential rains because she'd ran to the shops in her lunch break for some provisions and toiletries, she was dodging the cars coming, which seemed to be playing a game of splash as they sped past, the people knocking her from pillow to post as no one wanted to walk near the kerb and the ever growing puddles on the footpath
"Sorry" she said when she bumped into someone's actual chest, her head bouncing off enough for her to look up
"Sorry" a voice said at the same time
"Oh it's the man with the girlfriend" she smiled as they both somehow forgot it was raining ready to stand and talk "How did that go?"
"Can we..." he looked around pointing to a cafe across the road "Do you want to chance it, and wait till this stops?" he asked holding his hand out to grab her bags
"I'm already wet" she told him what he could clearly see, letting him take her bags "Let's go get splashed" she laughed walking to the crossing as they stood with others waiting for the lights to change
They finally crossed the road and walked into the cafe, lots of people sitting around, apparently everyone had the same idea "What can I get you?" he asked shaking his jacket off as they stepped in
"Mocca please" she replied looking around, smiling at a couple as they made ready to leave, before she made a run for the table. She sat watching this man waiting to be served, he was handsome, no mistake, tall, muscular, his hair could do with maybe a cut but everything else on point, she could maybe... "You don't even know his damn name" she giggled to herself for where her mind had gone on this stranger. Finally he was served and she sat waving her hand alerting him to where she'd found for them to sit "So?" she said as he made to sit down
"So..." he asked puzzled
"How did it go, the surprise?"
"Surprised me alright" he laughed "There was someone else there, she'd been cheating on me, well actually she said she'd never said we were exclusive and give her her dues, we hadn't"
"I'm sorry" Mercy told him wondering if she really was, she'd proved her point after all there was no such thing
"Don't be at least I know now" he laughed "I gave the flowers and stuff to an old lady passing when I got out the house, well I kept the book" he looked up rather shyly telling her, there was something in that look she liked "So much for perfect Valentine's that tip you gave me was in it"
"Technically we've known each other for a couple of months now and I still don't know your name"
"Sam, Sam Evans and yours?"
"Mercy Jones" she smiled "So hows the shop coming on?" she took a sip of her drink asking
"It should be ready in a couple of months, there was so much work to do on the building and I've only just ordered the instruments, so that could be a while too"
"Music shop?"
"Yeah I used to play the guitar professionally and I just wanted another outlet, I was planning on doing some lessons in there too"
"You must play something for us on your opening day"
"Gosh" he held his chest telling her "I couldn't play anything on my own, I'm used to being part of a band, I'm much too shy to go solo"
"You don't come across as shy" she smiled at him "Oh the rain's stopped" she alerted him as they both looked out the window
"Work calls" he threw the last of his drink into his mouth, Mercy watched him thinking even that was sexy
"Well yeah plus I have a date, it's been a while and I don't even now if I want to make the effort" she got up telling him
"So why did you agree to the date?"
"Santana and Brittany are on a quest to see me married off I think" he laughed as she watched him push the door open and she stepped out of it in front of him
"Are you alright with these bags or do you want me to walk you back?"
"I'm fine with the bags thank you" she smiled as she took them off him "Come buy a book sometime, and thanks for the coffee" she looked at him saying before she stepped right and he stepped left back to their own lives
Mercy
Mercy got back to the shop to Santana and Brittany going spare "What's up?" she stood in the doorway asking
"You, you have a date in less than three hours and you choose now to go awol, you left your phone" Brittany told her "We were worried"
"I'm fine and I remember the damn date" she rolled her eyes saying "I got caught in the rain and went to the cafe to wait if out"
"You're not going to give this one the five date rule crap are you he seems really sweet" Santana asked "Plus the world is running out of men"
"You know my five days law of dating, that's all I'm willing to give and then I'm out of there" she told them stopping the conversation.
The afternoon went quickly the main topic of conversation being Mercy's date with Clive, Santana giving tips on how not to behave, generally don't be her, while Brittany constantly muttered stuff about safe sex, like that was anyone's intention out of a meal in a public place. They left the shop and ventured upstairs to Mercy's one bed flat, it had everything she'd ever need as a single person, and she intended on being that for a long while to come. The small dresser covered in pictures of her Grandmother and her, a small kitchen that couldn't fit the tumble dryer in so that lived in the bathroom, the bedroom healthy enough to house a king size bed and the living room had a couch, her grandma's prize crystal ware cabinet, coffee table and the TV. They sat in the bathroom; Santana doing her hair while Brittany done some fantastic work on her nails, an hour later she was stepping into her green skin tight dress and black 6 inch heels, clutching her purse as the girls stood smiling at their joined efforts
"Make him sweat" Santana told her as she walked out the door
She's made the effort for this guy because he'd chosen some high end restaurant for them to meet in, she didn't usually go all out like this but he'd come with game so she thought why not play this game, so this was date number one and she was ready for some flirting
she stepped out of the cab right in front of the door of the restaurant, half expecting him to be waiting to open the door to let her out, but there was valet so she let him off with that and walked in through the rather tall glass doors into the foyer. She was met by a suited gentleman welcoming her to the establishment and asking if she wanted to book her coat
"Please" Mercy accepted his assistance saying, she couldn't lie she was impressed
"The name Madam?" the Waiter asked, as he passed her coat over to a waiting cloak person
"Nolan, Clive Nolan" she told him happy she'd taken the time to find out the guys name
"This way Madam" he guided her towards a set of double doors saying, she had to gasp when the doors opened and she saw the well dressed tables, what looked like gold cutlery, crystal glassware, elaborate table centres and some very well dressed people, the food smelt good too, she smiled she was going to enjoy this date
She finally met Clive in the flesh and he was maybe five years older than his picture had suggested but she wasn't even tripping on that, if she needed to she'd do the same. They sat having a somewhat strained conversation, he kept bring up buzz words like commitment, relationship, Trust, telling her how important it was that she fit in
"Fit into what?" she finally asked when she zoned back into what he was talking about, her mind had been on that melt in your mouth lamb she'd just put in her mouth
"With my family" he looked at her saying
"Clive this is a first date how did we got to meeting the parents?"
"I was talking about making a commitment too" he smiled like that was a good thing
"Sorry Clive maybe this is my fault" she told him looking down at her food, was this really the best time to have this conversation, you've had no dessert yet she thought "I've not been listening, I mean this lamb seriously, is to die for" she changed her conversation to
"Everything on the menu is good" he smiled at her
She carried on half listening to his committed conversation, through dinner and well into dessert before she finally decided she'd eaten as much as she was ever going to "Clive" she held her hand up stopping him mid sentence, not at all interested in what he might have been saying "I need to stop you there"
"What's the matter?"
"I'm not interested in a relationship with you or anybody to be honest, I've never actually been into relationships, I just believe everyone she be free to do what they want"
"What like free sex?"
"I guess you could use that as an example" she smiled across the table at him
"What you mean you want to be a whore?" he asked his eyes wide open as he asked the question
"What?" she asked jumping out of her chair as she spoke "How dare you" she threw her napkin down at this trifling man sitting in front of her "Do I look like a damn whore?"
"Don't get offended" he looked around shocked telling her
"You just called me a whore and expect me not to be offended?" she asked picking up the glass of wine and throwing it in his face before walking out "Get me my damn coat" she hissed at the cloak person standing there fuming as she waited grabbing it without a thank you before she burst out of the glass door and into the noise of the night cursing for ever having listened to Brittany and Santana
Sam
Walked away for the cafe with that awful day more on his mind than it had been for a while, he hadn't spoken about it to anyone until today and he suddenly realised he felt like shit. The female of the species wasn't really his thing, he'd fallen into the four or so relationships he'd had and when the girl actually found out he was actually a dork they'd left him high and dry.
He'd been seeing Rose for three month, a record for him, and he was thinking about getting serious, but then the opportunity of getting his very own music shop, something he'd wanted since birth, came up when his parents sold up and went back to Ireland, something they'd always wanted to do. He was 28 and was doing alright he thought with The Perfects, they'd had a few hits and money was flowing in, and out with these women he was attracting, but now he'd got a bulk of money from his parents, most of the band had gone off doing solo stuff and that really wasn't him, he could live his dream. He'd finally found himself a place to call his, it had a small flat above it and it was all his, another plus was that Rose lived like five blocks away so his relationship wasn't going to suffer.
Rose was an air hostess, she was hardly ever in town and moaned at him all the while for stupid things she'd find not working in her apartment, lights, washing machine, microwave, cookers everything as soon as she moaned she wanted a new one, and with the promise of that being his home soon too, he'd buy her new stuff
He'd smiled when the girls gave him that advice and almost skipped round, this time he was going to get something right, she was due home around 11.30 that night and he was supposed to make a booty call but he was all up for surprising her with the flowers, chocolates and whatever that book was "Tentative" he'd smiled as he walked across to her place
He'd got into the building because someone was on their way out and he knocked for the janitor but got no answer so he thought he'd maybe leave them outside her door. He went up and put the items on her mat hearing noise he tried to look through the spy hole "Nobody should be there" he mumbled to himself as his hand touched the bell, seconds later the door swung open and some man was standing looking back at him
"Sorry is Rose in?" he asked even thinking he might have the wrong door
"Rose" the man bellowed through the apartment
"Coming" she walked towards the door, her face shocked when she saw him standing there
"You will be, get rid of him" the man said, Sam's mouth open at the guy saying that in front of his face, well technically he had his back to him but he was there, he could hear him
"Sam" Rose came to the door smiling "I didn't know you thought we were exclusive, you didn't say"
He walked off thinking maybe he should have fought the guy for her, shouted her out or something but he didn't, what was the point, he hadn't asked for them to be exclusive, would he really want to be exclusive after that, he'd smiled at an elderly lady walking past and given her the chocolates and flowers and kept the book and dived back into making his shop all he wanted it to be.
"Sam" he heard as he neared his shop looking up to see Blaine standing outside it waiting for him
"Dude" he smiled walking fast towards him "When did you get here?"
"Not long, I needed a best friend fix, I'm around for a week or so" he told him as they hugged
"Where's Kurt?" Sam asked pulling away from him smiling
"Theatre" they both said laughing
"Silly question" Sam rolled his eyes telling Blaine
"I'm curious to see what you've been up to" Blaine said standing aside to let him open the door
"A bit more woodwork and lots of painting and I'm still waiting for the instruments" he told him as they walked in
"But it's still impressive" Blaine walked around the space telling him "How's that flower named girl I hooked you up with?"
"Oh Rose, that didn't work out too well, I walked in on her with some other guy, I hadn't said I wanted to be exclusive apparently"
"Gosh sorry Dude" he tapped his shoulder telling him "I've got this other chick..."
"No thanks, I'll do my own dating, and not right now this place is taking all my time" he laughed
"Next on the agenda food I'm starving" Blaine grinned as they headed out to go eat. They spent the week doing woodwork and painting in between eating and talking and soon it was time for Blaine to leave
June
Mercy sat rolling her eyes at her girls trying to get her out to yet another blind date, she wasn't having it, she wasn't desperate she just didn't want a meaningful relationship there was nothing wrong with her "I can't go on your date" she finally announced "Because I already have a date" she lied
"You have a date?" Brittany asked looking at her suspiciously
"Yes, I have a date in two hours, so get out my way" she pushed past them saying, presenting herself an hour later dressed in jeans, t-shirt and sneakers "How do I look?"
"Like you're about to play a ball game" Santana told her
"That's the look I need that's my date, I'm off to a ball game" she announced walking towards the front door "Don't wait up" she said as she opened the door smiling as she walked through it and let it bang shut behind her, she had no idea where she was going but she jumped in her car and started driving, looking around for somewhere to hang out that wouldn't make her look like she was trying to pick up a trick "Sam's" she smiled as she hit the breaks at the lights just before his turn off. She parked the car and made her way towards his shop smiling when she saw him working inside, she knocked the window to get his attention, his smile when he saw her making her smile as she watched him walk towards the door
"Hi" he smiled as he opened the door "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he moved out the way for her to walk in
"I was passing" she looked around the shop as she spoke "I can see your concept" she looked back at him saying
"That's encouraging I was getting so I couldn't see the wood for the trees on this"
"There's lots of wood alright" she laughed looking around
"Makes for a better sound"
"When was your opening did you say?"
"I didn't, as I've only just got a date for the delivery of the instruments, but I'm hoping eight weeks time"
"I was thinking maybe I could do your window display for you"
"Window display?" he looked at her saying "I was just going to put a few things in the window and let them come in and see the rest"
"God no the windows the selling point, it's important what you put in it, you have to draw people in, make them feel like they want to spend time here and when you draw them in you need them to insist they can't leave here without that particular piece of whatever it is that takes their fancy" she stood telling him
Sam's face was hooked, he wanted in that shop Mercy was talking about "You can get all that with the right display?"
"Absolutely" Mercy smiled at him
"How much?"
"Not much"
"Sorry I have a date I need to get ready for" he looked at his watch telling her "First impressions and all that"
"I've got an imaginary one too"
"Imaginary?"
"Yeah I'm trying to keep my girls off my damn back, they think I'm a charity case" she walked out the shop smiling, while she suddenly remembered she needed something to do for the night, before she could get any further into that, a message came up on her phone, she rolled her eyes, she'd put her phone on silent to deter conversation with the girls. Looking at the phone she wished she'd have left it on so she could tell this man she supposedly called Dad to leave her the hell alone, she sat in her car listening to his message ending with 'Sweetheart I know I hurt you but I'm still your Dad' "Really" she looked at the phone saying before she threw it down, she needed a drink
She'd grown up in what she thought was a happy family home, as an only child she'd been afforded more than most, her Mom was always singing around the house and her Dad was always at work but when they finally got family time there was nothing like it. They'd go out shopping, she'd get loads of treats, bowling and they had a holiday at least twice a year, and that carried on even when she'd finally gone to college. Then one day she walked into the house, not long after her Grandma had passed and her Mom was in the kitchen crying and her Dad was gone, she hated him for making her Mom so unhappy and also because there was no explanation as to why her world had come crashing down. As far as she was concerned her parents were in love and having her made them complete, that's what they'd always told her and she believed it. It took her a while to get her head around her Dad not loving them enough, after everything they'd shared as a family and she hadn't spoken to him since, that was three years ago, after 25 years of marriage.
Mercy finally found a bar, it was just on the outskirts of the town with very few people in it and they served food, she ordered a meal, a glass of wine and sat in a corner thinking nothing, it was just nice to have some time for herself "Maybe I should visit Mom" she thought as she sat eating her dessert, when she'd finished she took a trip to see her Mom and ended up staying for the night.
Over the next week she spent some time putting drawings for Sam's front window together, finally presenting them to him on Friday night
"I thought you'd forgotten about me" he smiled as he let her in "I was upstairs lucky I just came down to get some sandpaper"
"You live upstairs too?"
"Yeah it's cheaper"
"Tell me about it"
"How did your imaginary date go the other night?"
"Well I imagine" she laughed "I ended up with dinner alone and at my Mom's for the night" she smiled "And yours?"
"She wasn't who I thought she was going to be"
"Don't give up too easy..."
"Your going to tell me I'll find the right person soon" he rolled his eyes telling her
"No not at all I don't believe there's just one person for everyone, I'm so off this relationship thing"
"Me too" Sam opened the door to his flat telling her
"That's fantastic you'll be so much happier" Mercy smiled walking past him
"What?"
"I don't believe in relationships"
"What?" he asked watching her backside as she mounted the stairs
"I believe people should just have fun, all the getting to know each other stuff, wooing and all that you know and then once the romance is over move on"
"And how long does that getting to know each other thing last?"
"About 5 dates to be exact"
"That is exact" he looked at her looking around his living space "Kitchen's through there" he pointed her in the direction
"Yeah" she stepped of in the direction he'd told her "The perfect amount of time with the least pain and no rules, I think dating is so much more romantic"
"So you crave the romance but not the relationship?"
"Do you know any happy couples, I mean really happy couples?"
"Not happy all the time but my best friends break the mould"
"Well I'm happy all the while" she took her drawings out of her bag as spread them on his kitchen table "I have a few ideas I thought you could look at"
"Great, do you want a drink?" he stood at the kettle asking
"Coffee please" she smiled as she smoothed out the drawings
"Mocca?"
"Ohh please" she grinned
They studied the drawings for some time as Mercy sat explaining to him her concepts, he would have gone for the first one he really didn't have a clue about window dressing but each one seemed more elaborate, and suddenly he was thinking music gallery, rock stars coming through to buy their specialist guitars, reporters and a leading guitar making factory
"So which one do you want your shop to say?" Mercy asked bringing him right back to his little back street shop
"Whichever one you think best represents my shop, I honestly don't have a clue" he laughed
"I like this one" she pointed to the silhouettes dressed as the Beatles donning instruments on a stage with a record player on the side wall and records on a wire going up the wall, the back stage simply saying 'Sam's Place'
"How much?"
"The price of the materials" she smiled "And I'm sure being a part of the industry you can get a discount"
"Okay give me a few weeks and I'll see what I can do" he finally said after some consideration
"Okay, thanks for the drinks" she got up saying "I'll leave you to it, best go see what's going on at my place"
"No date?" Sam laughed
"No I told you, five date rule"
"What you really stick by that, even if things are going well?"
"Everything goes well for five dates believe me" she laughed "Bye"
"Bye" Sam echoed seriously thinking on what she'd said
"Blaine" he called when he finally got an answer "Everything alright?"
"Yeah what's up?"
"I just had this weird conversation with this woman that's doing my window dressing thing for the shop and I thought maybe you'd understand what the hell she was on about"
"Hit me" Blaine ordered as Sam walked him through the conversation as he understood it "So she offered herself to you on a plate and you just let that slide?"
"She didn't, she said she just wants a non-relationship"
"A non-relationship is sex my man, that's what she wants get in there"
"You sure?"
"Positive"
"She's doing some work for me right now, and in my books that's a professional line that I shouldn't cross"
"I hear that but as soon as that line's gone..." Blaine laughed "You lucky bugger, sex on tap"
"For five dates max" Sam laughed
"You can spread that out over say six months"
"I can spread it out for years, you know I'm the worlds worst romantic"
"You just haven't met the right girl" Blaine laughed "Got to go Kurt's back bye"
"Bye" he told him putting the phone down as he thought about Blaine's advice
August
"Mercy" Sam smiled as she walked in ready to dress his window "Everything you asked for has been delivered" he rubbed his hands together excitedly saying
"Great, give me two days" she told him
Those two days were all about his shop they, dressed the window, placed the musical pieces, set up the music room at the back and wiped everything down "Thank you so much for your help I couldn't have done it without you" Sam hugged her saying when they finally stopped to look at what they'd created
"My job is officially done" she smiled up at him, as he put the cheque in her hand "Thank you"
"No, thank you" he smiled nervously "I know this might seem like, I haven't thought it through but I have" he rubbed the back of his neck nervously saying "You said you're into non-relationships and I thought we could try that for a while"
"What do you mean?" she stepped back asking
"I want to have sex with you, I didn't want to ask while you were doing the job for me"
"Sorry Sam" she laughed "I didn't say I just wanted sex, I like the wooing, romance, flirting all of that and if it ends with a good adventurous evening all the better"
"Seriously I'm not romantic"
"I want to be wooed Sam" she walked off saying
"Hold up, what do I do?" he shouted after her as he heard the door shut, he stood wondering what the hell to do, his mind fell back on that book, he went to his chest to get it out, flicking through the book that had got everything so wrong that last Valentine's day "You have nothing else" he told himself unwilling to call Blaine to tell him about the shame he'd just encountered
Date 1 - Breathless Flirting
"Come on you lot" Mercy shouted at her girlfriends "We're going to miss all the damn food" she grabbed her bag and Brittany's arm as they left her flat and piled into the cab
"Wow" Brittany said as they jumped out "Mercy this is absolutely brilliant" she told her looking at the window
"Well done you" Santana added as she pushed the door open
There were a few people standing around, nobody they really knew except Sam as he came towards them smiling "Thank you for coming" he looked at them saying "You could bring their shawls upstairs if you want" he directed at Mercy as the girls looked at each other wide eyed
"You know upstairs?" Santana asked her
"He lives up there" she told them cutting her eye at them for being so damn nosy
"Sam this is Brittany and Santana, they're married and nosy but I love them" she smiled at him
"If you think your best friends are anything wait until mine get here" he laughed shaking their hands "Nice to meet you" he smiled at them before showing them were the food and drink were "Enjoy" he told them dragging Mercy off with him as the girls stood watching
"I thought we could maybe spend the evening together like an impromptu date" he bent to tell her "Talk about what we like, hate or even tolerate"
"Are you not hosting?"
"Yes we are" he smiled grabbing her hand as he took her around to meet the guests that were already there "So what do you hate?" he finally looked down at her saying as they walked across the room for breath
"Lies I hate lies"
"Gosh me too, there really are no consequences for telling the truth other than everyone knows where they stand"
"What do you like?" she looked up at him asking
"The first thing that comes to mind is your perfume" he bent down to smell her neck kissing it "That was definitely a flirt" he smiled his head jerking up at the sound of Kurt's voice
"Bro" he smiled at the two guys coming towards him, arms linked and suits impeccable
"Sam Evans" Kurt said looking at Mercy swinging on his arm "Perfection" he smiled holding his hand out to her "Kurt, friend to Sam for all my sins"
"Mercy" she smiled grabbing his hand as she spoke
"And I'm his best friend Blaine" he stepped forward and hugged her saying
"Nice to meet you too" she smiled when he let her go
"Always extra" Sam rolled his eyes telling her, he seemed to come out of his shell with his friends around, and when they met up with her girls the party really started, the guests disappeared around midnight and then they went into shots, chatting and lots of hugging, they weren't a couple but Mercy thought it was rude of them not to join in so she grabbed hugs where ever she could. Sam was kissing her cheeks, neck, forehead and even her hands by the end of the night "Thanks for making the night special" he whispered in her ear as she lay in his arm pit chilling
"Thank you for my date not date, it felt like a date" she looked up at him saying, she'd never been this close to him he smelt good, his arms around her felt good, she needed to touch him, she lifted her hand and stroked his face, the contact turning a casual touch into an intense moment, before she could think about what was happening his lips came down to meet hers and they were kissing, hungrily. She responded like this was something she was craving, the touch of his lips softer than she'd imagined as they exchanged wine through their tongues, the moan Mercy let out alerting the room to the exchange as Kurt coughed and they let each other go
"Sorry" Sam pulled away unable to look away from her eyes
"Not at all" she smiled pulling him back in "This was definitely a first date" she told him when she let him up
"Can we meet up in a couple of days for a real date?"
"Sure" she smiled up at him, the private party wound down and they eventually parted company, reluctantly, of course their best friends had lots to say the next day, but that cloud they were on was much too high for any of their comments to touch them
Date 2 – Tummy Flip Flops
"Your book said this was one of the top ten things to do, so here goes" Sam laughed as they stood outside the gallery looking up before pulling Mercy in with him
"Start this way and follow the arrows" the doorman told them giving them a booklet as they went
They stood looking at a blank canvass with some writing under it, puzzled "What is it?" Mercy whispered as the elderly couple standing in front of them looked around
"A blank canvass" Sam suggested looking in his catalogue
"It's a masterpiece" the woman turned to tell them
"A 2k masterpiece" Sam held the book open showing Mercy
"What?" she asked loudly before bursting into laughter to the other people's disgust as Sam dragged her away laughing himself, they walked around making their own enjoyment before looking in the book for the facts and an hour later they were finished
"Park?" he asked looking across the road, smiling as she grabbed his hand and followed him across the road and into the park, her phone rang and she took it out to look
"My Dad" she rolled her eyes telling him
"Answer it"
"I don't talk to him"
"Oh gosh I know what you mean parents drama" he rolled his eyes telling her "I walked into the house when I was about 19 to hear my parents going full scream with ramming and everything, I couldn't look at them again" he laughed "I left home for music and sleep" he told her stopping to watch her laugh, his stomach churning for the warm feeling he got in his heart, and at that moment he seriously considered how he was going to walk away after the fifth date
"I got home one day about three years ago and my Mom was crying and my Dad didn't come home, I thought he was dead and she just couldn't tell me, I worshipped him" she smiled but her eyes were sad "And then he called asking me not to hate him, I didn't listen to any more I'm not sure if he cheated on her or they just fell out of love"
"That's so sad" Sam hugged her saying "You need to speak to him find out what happened"
"Maybe one day but today's not it" she looked up at him saying his lips brushed against hers and her tummy flipped in a big way, she took a breath to stop whatever thought it was coming up to stop, this was not the time, her chin squared up to his in expectation as her eyes focused on his
"Mercy" he whispered seconds before their lips touched again, he couldn't fight this feeling even if he wanted to, he wanted this woman, he'd never experienced anything so draining as his senses confused themselves and left him dizzy as she let his lips go. Their heads close as a smile formed on their faces and his hand went up to cup her face
"Sam" she got out before he pushed her up against the nearby tree and his lips covered hers again, they could have stood under that tree for the rest of the day talking and kissing, but they finally went for food and he took her home, his shop was opening for real that weekend and he needed to be ready
Date 3 – Adventurous
"I've never actually been to a bar for and evening meal and I thought we could be adventurous and do something like that"
"I must admit I have but, this is your call and I actually enjoyed my imaginary date alone" she laughed as he freely kissed her on the lips before they ventured in, they sat down and ordered drinks in this very loud bar, the music was at night club level and people were eating, drinking and trying to talk over the music nothing seemed intimate about it
"Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to your Thursday night Sake Bomb and Karaoke night" the DJ suddenly shouted out as their meal turned up
"What?" Mercy laughed "Did you know about this?" she asked him
"No" he laughed looking at the DJ, smiling because he had no intention of joining in that singing thing
"Number 27" the DJ shouted out as everyone looked around, everyone seemed to be as clueless as them "Your numbers are under your chairs" he informed everyone as they all started looking and grabbed their numbers from under the base of their chairs
"25" Sam told Mercy showing his card
"32" she replied showing hers
"Seriously, I'm not up for this" Sam told her turning an unhealthy shade of green
"Don't worry they won't call you up" she grabbed his hand telling him, as they watched some guy strangle that new song by Ed Sheeran, then a lady got up and sung a version of what should have been Rita Ora's new song but if it wasn't for the words being up for everyone to see they would have never guessed
"Number 25" the DJ shouted out looking around the bar
"I'm not going up there" Sam sat still in his chair telling Mercy as she looked at him, the crowd gearing for number 25, Mercy felt sorry for him, he looked like he was going to be physically sick, she grabbed the ticket and got up
"Sorry that's me" she smiled walking up onto the stage
"You've got 'Never Be The Same' by Camila Cabello" the DJ informed her and shortly after the music started, Mercy started singing she wasn't too sure of the words it was a fairly new song, smiling when she saw Sam's face light up, she really got into it and he was standing clapping when she finally came off the stage, he didn't even think about it, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her right there in front of everyone
"You're so brave I could never do that" he muttered in her ear as he kept her close "I loved that song and you're brilliant"
"You didn't totally get away with it, you've got to take my bomb" she laughed
"I'd take a dozen for what you just did for me"
The night might have ended differently, they felt so connected, but they both went off to have conversations with their best friends, this thing that had started out as a quick lay had slowly crept into something else, and they didn't want to admit it but feelings were involved on both sides
"Just do it and if it feels good hold onto it" Santana told her
"I can't I know the rules" Sam told Blaine over the phone as he advised him to come clean before he lost her totally
"I don't know what you can't admit, those damn rules are crap" Brittany told Mercy as she stood there telling them that her unconstituted morals were going to run her life right now
"Just tell her it's a stupid rule and let her know you're there to break it" Kurt told Sam
That's all good and well but I need to respect her word" Sam finally told his friends closing the call down
"I need to keep my word, how can I expect him to respect me if I don't?" Mercy asked the girls as she walked away
Date 4 – Fun and Fabulous
"Hi" Sam walked into her shop one afternoon smiling "I needed to come tell you I'm going to be away for a few weeks I have some stuff to take care of but when I get back, I'm going to bring that romance you talked about"
"Thanks for telling me" she smiled walking towards him and kissing his lips as her girls stood watching "I meant to tell you I've been advertising your shop"
"You have" he smiled grabbing her around the waist "Thank you" he kissed her back telling her "We'll carry this conversation on when I get back" he giggled at her friends faces "I think your in my blood"
"I'm a sucker for the way that you move babe" she kissed him singing "Now get gone" she pushed him lightly away from her, he pulled her with him and kissed her deep
"Two weeks" he let her go telling her
Mercy was sitting on the bench, at the park across from the cafe, people watching, she didn't understand why but she'd missed Sam, with all her chat about five dates and rejecting relationships, she was sitting there wondering how she could possible retract on that conversation and ask him straight out to be hers "Hi" she heard bringing a smile to her face
"Sam" she jumped up hugging him maybe a bit too needy but he held onto her for a long while before he moved his head and their lips met
"I'm not going to say how I feel because I understand the rules" he looked down at her saying, she closed her eyes in understanding, trying to pluck the courage up to say forget the stupid rules
"That was the longest two weeks" was all she got out "How did you know I was here?" she asked as they sat down and he pulled her closer to him until their heads were touching
"I went to your shop Santana told me" he told her his head resting on hers as his mind went over the conversation he'd had with her friends a while ago, he'd crossed a line and told her friends he had feelings for her that he was struggling with this five date thing and how hard it was going to be for him to walk away. They hadn't blasted him, but they hadn't given him anything either, just looked at each other and told him where Mercy was followed up with a good luck and all the way over he struggled as to what that good luck actually meant "Can we see each other later?"
"Yeah I guess"
"I've got my friend Puck coming down for a few weeks, he's a bit of a dog so take no notice if you meet him" he stood up telling her "Are you going back" he held his hand out asking her
"Yeah" she grabbed it pulling herself up and keeping hold of it all the way back, they kissed before parting company, he stood watching her walk in before he turned and left "What's this?" she asked the girls of the red wrapped box sitting on the counter as she walked in
"It's got your name on it" Brittany told her smiling as she watched Mercy open the attached card
'Bringing the Romance, Sam' she read smiling as she took the box unopened upstairs with her, she was excited for what she was going to find, she threw her purse down and carried the box to the couch, read the note again and ripped the wrapping off "Victoria Secrets" she smiled taking the neatly folded crape paper away uncovering this beautiful burgundy longline bra, complicated straps and fishnet lace a beautifully detailed hooked halter neck plunge neckline with side boning and thong panties to match, her favourite low raising leg with no back coverage type, she couldn't have picked better herself "Wow" she smiled she loved it looking back at the box she saw yet another note 'I'd love to be the one to peel this off you later' he wrote she laughed at the invite '7pm tonight my place' "Now that's a line" she giggled
By the time she came back down to the shop it was locked up and no sign of Brittany or Santana, the made her way across the shop and out the door and into her car, she felt sexy, she'd worn Sam's present and felt that sexy she'd made the effort and used the bra as a top with her black trumpet skirt and a thin, black, short sleeved cardigan over the top, her four inch heels and glossy clutch purse coupled with flawless make up completing the look
she stood at his door checking herself for a while before she nervously rang the bell "Hi" Sam said appearing at the door within seconds
"Hi, you cooked?" she asked as she walked into his flat to smell food
"I did" he smiled as he looked at her standing there revealing the underwear he'd brought her and at her efforts in making that look even more sexy than he'd imagined "You look beautiful" he pulled her to him kissing her deep as he spoke
"I feel beautiful, thank you for the present"
"No problem, my pleasure" he smiled as he watched her walk in and take her cardigan off to expose her breasts fully except for her nipples which were well hidden by the design of the bra "Dinner's nearly ready" he drooled saying as he walked past her into the kitchen "Five minutes" he looked back at her smiling "In the kitchen" he added when he remembered what he was trying to say
"Just call me when you're ready, I'm just going to nosy around your place" she wondered off telling him
"Ready" he shouted as she found her way to the kitchen gasping with impressed as she looked at the set table with napkins, tea candles, rose petals, low music playing everything correctly placed
"You're not good at romance?" she asked raising her eyebrow
"I have two gay friends that taught me everything you see" he laughed "Except the food that's all my fault" he held the chair out for her to sit at, before presenting his seafood salad starter
"So" she threw food in her mouth asking "What's all this in aid of?" she sat forward in her chair asking
"I just thought about your five date thing, this is something I've always wanted to do and I bit the bullet" he smiled
"It's very romantic" she looked around saying "I love romance" her eyes landed on him saying
"Yeah I got that" he looked back at her acknowledging "I thought we'd maybe broach a hard topic, followed by maybe some fun"
"Hard topic?"
"Yeah, your commitment thing or lack of it"
"I have commitment but just not to relationships"
"I figured that had something to do with your Dad"
"My Dad?" she gasped
"Yeah, as I said hard topic"
"I don't think those two words go together" she laughed "I thought my Dad was committed to us, to me, but he found it so easy to walk away I can't forgive him for that"
"Or any other man that happens to walk into your life"
"They don't actually do anything for me to have to forgive them" she smiled at him "I'm always happy remember?"
"Hurray for you, I haven't got parents drama going on and I don't mind telling you, I'm generally miserable"
"I think it's maybe time for the fun now" she looked into his eyes saying and he knew he'd pushed that as far as he was going to
"I have Stakes for main and some cold chocolate, strawberry and cream thing for dessert" he got up to go get their main course telling her "So let's get to know each other properly" he came back putting her main course in front of her "What turns you off?"
"Off" she smiled looking in the air "Doing it with socks on I guess, it's like you can't wait for it all to end to drag your trousers back on and leave" she laughed "You?"
"Silence during sex, there's no signals in silence, you just get nervous and fumble, close your eyes and seek self gratification then feel like shit afterwards"
"I'm quite vocal" she smiled
"Me too, I've been told to shut up a few times" he laughed, the conversation followed that vein throughout the evening and when they finally finished eating and sat on the couch with their wine in hand it was inevitable that foreplay had reached it's peek as Sam leaned in and kissed her. She didn't object far from it, she pulled him into her and they laughed, talked and explored each others intimate parts repeatedly for a good while before either of them made an appearance a few days later
"Well hello you" Santana smiled as Mercy finally made an entrance "Three days is a record even for you, give us details?" she laughed as Mercy hid her face blushing
"I have no details it's private" she announced walking straight through to go get changed, producing herself a short while later, in denims and a t-shirt
"So?" the girls sat down on the bench opposite the counter asking her as they watched her leaning on it smug
"Okay he cooked me dinner" she said excitedly "He actually cooked, that's never happened before" she rolled her eyes telling them "Then we talked serious at first and then we talked fun, sexy stuff and three days later I'm in love, I know this is love, it was fabulous"
"After three days I'd expect nothing less" Brittany laughed "Good for you girl"
"Okay so that was date four are you going to come clean with him or are you going to let him get away?" Santana asked
"I'll let him decide" she smiled shooing them off to do work
October
Mercy
It had been nearly three weeks since Mercy had heard from Sam, she'd been so tempted to call him but she guessed after their weekend, he'd probably feel the same as her and be scared to let the last date come about to call an end to everything they'd felt. She went to do her usual grocery shop and glanced in the cafe, not expecting anything shocked but smiling when she saw Sam sitting there nursing a drink, she pushed the door and went in "Hi" she smiled as his head popped up fast
"Hi" he smiled nervously "How are you?"
"I'm fine" she smiled "Still waiting for that fifth date but I'm fine"
"Fifth date?" Sam looked at her puzzled "You stayed over for like three days we went way past seven dates I thought you'd hate me for doing that"
"We had four dates" she confirmed
"You stayed over into two more days"
"Okay" she smiled "My bad" she told him walking away as he watched her, but you made me fall in love with you, she thought as she walked wiping away tears as she punched herself for being such a damn fool, she found her car and drove home to her Mom to lick her wounds and hibernate.
Her Mom sat stroking her hair and listening to her stupid five date rule, her quest to never hurt like her Mom did when her Dad walked away leaving them to fend for themselves and her distrust in love and all it supposed to stand for "Your Dad loved us baby, there's no doubt of that, he still does, he provides for us up to this day" she picked her head up telling her "His flesh was weak for a second, and I saw my opt out card and took it, he deserved someone better than me, I didn't love him, not the way he deserved, he was my second choice, I needed him to go find someone to make him their first choice, and he loved me so much he agreed and left"
"So why were you crying when he left?"
"25 years he'd loyally given me, I cried because I felt messed up, because I did wrong in marrying him and because he'd left"
Mercy walked away feeling bad about the way she'd treated her Father for the past nearly four years, she made the call and went to see him "Hi Sweetheart" he smiled, tears in his eyes as she walked towards him
"Dad" she got out before her eyes were flooded and hazy "I'm sorry" she fell into his chest telling him, everything she'd ever felt about love coming back to her as his arms made her feel safe
"There's nothing to be sorry about, it was up to your Mom to tell you, I told her that"
"I've made so many bad choices based on what I thought happened between you guys" she told him still attached to his chest
"What's happened?" he asked sitting her down on the steps of the statue in the park as he listened to her story about Sam
"I had a breakthrough last Valentines Day" he smiled down at her "I sent your Mom some flowers and a card telling her she was still my valentine, I stood watching from the bus stop down the way and she cried"
"She still loves you" she looked up smiling at her
"She's the love of my life, that doesn't just go away"
"It doesn't does it"
"Advice" he smiled down at her "Woo him"
"Woo him?" she asked smiling finally "That's a brilliant idea"
Sam
Sam had sat wondering how the hell he'd got this so wrong it was dates not days and she was right that fourth date ended when she left his flat that Monday morning. He called Blaine, he was the only person he could think of as he poured his heart out not caring who was listening to him as he sat in the cafe
"Dude she gave you the five date rule thing, you said you were going to keep to it, get the hell over her"
"That's the damn problem I don't want to get over her, not in a negative way anyway"
"So what do you want?" Blaine asked a smile in his voice
"Seriously, she's the one, I mean I cooked for her and everything, we spent three damn days in bed and it was only work that made us move"
"Three days?" Kurt pipped up alerting Sam to the fact that he was on speaker
"Yeah and now Puck's here throwing girls left right and centre at me, I don't want to dull his buzz or anything but that's not what I want, I want Mercy"
"So tell Puck and go get your girl" Blaine told him
"Or I can call him and tell him for you" Kurt offered
"No I'll do it" he told them finally closing the call down with a mission
That night they were back at the bar Puck doing his usual I'm up for anything thing and Sam nursing a bottle of bud "Evans if I have to tell you one more time cheer up" he grabbed his shoulder as he walked towards Sam sitting at the bar "She's the one that got away, deal with it"
"I'm trying but this isn't the way" he turned to tell him
"Come on do something stupid, get it out your system, men always do stupid things" Puck pulled him saying trying to get him dancing with some girls already on the floor
"Your right we do" Sam looked at him saying "I got to go, I need to do something stupid" he grabbed his jacket telling Puck
Sam & Mercy
"Mercy" Santana called on her phone as she looked up at Mercy's window "look out your window I have a surprise for you"
"Santana I'm not in the mood"
"I'm not going to stop until you do" she told her smiling as she saw her shadow moving "Sam" she smiled pointing at the window as his band pipped up and he started singing 'Naked' by James Arthur to her as she stood in her window, by the time he'd finished she was downstairs smiling
"I know you have a five date rule thing but I want a groundhog kind of relationship, we'll get stuck in 123 and 4 and we wait forever for 5 to come around what do you say?"
"You're an idiot" she laughed
"So are you, but I love you" he pulled her to him saying
"I love you too" she held his eyes for a short while before grabbing his lips "You can sing, beautifully" she let them go for a second to tell him before going back in
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
"God I have a boyfriend" she smiled up at him before looking at Brittany and Santana standing nearby
"Some relationships do work you know?" he told her pulling her attention back
"I'm not disputing that I just think maybe we should set some ground rule..."
"Stop talking" he looked back at her saying
"Make me" she smiled up at him as he took her lips again
The End